The Good, Bad and Ugly
by rockhotch31
Summary: This is a non-baseball check-in with my OC Zach Hotchner, his wife Caleigh and their now walking twins. It's flu season. You can take it from there. However, and like always, there is goodness in the end. And all of the CM family makes appearances. It's a one-shot.


**A/N: Happy 2020! I'm bored.**

**All rights to the **_**Criminal Minds**_** characters belong to Mark Gordon Studios, CBS and ABC Studios.**

***Knightly bow***

Chapter 1

Zach and Caleigh were feeding their happy twins the Monday morning before Christmas around seven when Zach's cell rang with a call. He looked at the caller ID, smiled and answered his phone. "Good morning Beth."

"Hi Zach," Beth said. "I'm sorry, I've got some bad news for you. Jack can't take care of the kids this morning so you and Caleigh can go to the Y. He woke up with the flu around two-thirty this morning."

"How is he?" Zach asked.

"He's doing OK now," Beth reported. "It started with a puke session, followed by a minor bout of diarrhea and one more puke session. I finally got some fluids and Advil in him around six this morning when your dad got up this morning to head into the office for a few hours. Jack has been conked out since. And his fever has broken."

Zach had his cell on speaker. "I know the flu has been going around," Caleigh said. "Mom told me last week that the hospital where she works has been shut down to essential visitors only."

Zach shook his head. "I just gotta talk to Jack about his timing."

"Zach?" Beth asked.

"He gets the flu when he's on Christmas break? Get it before your break dude," Zach smiled. Beth laughed. "No worries Beth. We'll be fine. We'll use the daycare at the Y. Which yes, I know," Zach said, "before you say anything, can be a Petri dish of germs as well. I don't think you can hide from it."

"And being out in the public," Caleigh added, "means you can be exposed anywhere. We're still going to live our lives."

"Tell Jack we all love him and get better soon," Zach said.

"I will," Beth smiled.

-00CM00-

Caleigh and Zach spent Christmas Eve with the Greystone family. After going to Pastor Hartwig's beautiful candlelight service in the late afternoon, the family enjoyed dinner and opening presents. They all laughed at Trev and Tay ripping the paper off their presents with Caleb showing them how to start. Their little hands had wrapping paper flying everywhere.

Lexie and Munchkin joined the holiday spirit of peace on earth to get along watching, with Munchkin hiding behind the Christmas tree.

Rachel and Tom looked at Zach and Caleigh. "You get your Christmas present tomorrow," Tom smiled.

The next morning, a little before the start of the service at ten, David Rossi was sitting at the end of the church pew at St. John's, the Hotchners' home church. Joining him in the pew were Sean, Kim, Jack, Beth and Aaron. Dave nudged Sean's shoulder with a smile. "I think the circus is here," Dave whispered. Sean smiled as Zach and Caleigh walked in with their babbling twins, sitting down in the pew in front of them, joining the Brooks family.

Getting back to Aaron's and Beth's home, Jessica and Hannah fed the twins their lunch. When the twins finished, Aaron and Beth put the kids down on their bed for their afternoon nap. Lex and Molly curled up beside them to keep them on the bed. The family enjoyed their time together. Zach hugged Jack. "You feeling better?"

"Yup, I am," Jack smiled.

Round two of opening presents with the twins was a repeat of the day before. The Hotchner family enjoyed it as much as the Greystones had. Santa Jack was naturally in the mix. Hannah looked at Beth. "You don't mind the paper flying?" she smiled.

"You know better great-grandma," Beth smiled, rubbing her shoulder.

Jack handed Dave his gift from the Hotchner family. After taking the paper off, he pulled out his pocketknife to open the large box. Opening it, he saw a framed, beautifully matted picture montage of him with the twins, Zach, Caleigh and Jack through the year. "Oh my," Dave softly said, wiping a tear, looking it over. The center and biggest picture was Dave and Zach hugging each other on the SunTrust Park infield after the World Series. Aaron and Beth smiled at him.

"Merry Christmas Uncle Dave," Zach smiled. "We love you."

"I love you all too," Dave said.

John walked over to Dave to look at the pictures. "You deserve that Dave," John smiled, rubbing his shoulder. Zach and Jack shared a wink.

Aaron and Beth opened their gift from Trev and Tay. It was a picture of them with Zach, Caleigh and Jack on the SunTrust infield. Sean looked over his big brother's shoulder and smiled at the boys wearing their World Series Champion t-shirts. "That's special," Sean smiled at Aaron.

"It is," Aaron smiled back as Beth showed it to Hannah and John.

Hannah looked at Zach and Caleigh. "Please tell me we can get a copy of that?"

Zach and Caleigh smiled. "Maybe you should open your gift from the twins," Zach said with his big smile. Grandma and Grandpa, Jessica, plus Sean and Kim got a duel frame of the family together. Plus the Braves' PR pic of Jack on Zach's shoulders pointing into the World Series crowd at their family and friends.

Jack walked to Zach and Caleigh, who were sitting on the floor with their kids. He handed them a present. "This is from all of us including your family Cal," Jack smiled.

Caleigh unwrapped the present. Zach pulled out his pocketknife that matched Dave's to open the box. They both looked in to see a key at the top of the box. Zach and Caleigh looked at all of them. "Keep going," Jack smiled. Zach pulled out the key.

Caleigh pulled out a sheet of paper. "What's this?"

Jessica smiled. "A twin sitting schedule." Zach and Caleigh looked at each other and then the rest of them around the room.

"We're all in Zach and Caleigh," Hannah smiled.

Zach dug into the box and pulled out a condo reservation. Aaron looked at his son and the daughter he gained through marriage. "You two need some time away from the kids before spring training."

Kim smiled at them. "It will be as close we get to having kids," she said, nudging Sean.

Jessica looked at Kim. "You two are really settled on kitties instead of kids?"

Kim smiled. "Living in NYC and working in the restaurant business? Yes, we are."

"Yeah, Jess, we really are," Sean added. He looked at Zach and Caleigh. "Welcome to Albuquerque," Sean smiled.

"With a condo that has its own indoor pool," John smiled.

Zach looked at his dad. Aaron smiled. "It's around the King Holiday. Mat Cruz is in. I'm off for a long weekend to be dad and grandpa."

"I'm the moral support," Dave smiled. "Plus getting Jose to get you a jet out there burning up some of the thirty million a year." Zach shook his head at Dave.

Beth smiled. "So is your family Caleigh." Caleigh looked at the sitter schedule and shook her head. "You're just going to have a lot of Goldilocks sleeping in your bed."

Zach looked at the sitter schedule. "If Mike and Sarah have sex in our bed…," he growled. The group loudly laughed.

-00CM00-

Zach got up around two early New Year's Eve morning to use the bathroom. Coming back into the bedroom, he heard Taylor rolling around and starting to fuss. He walked to the bedroom, dimly light from the streetlight outside, and stepped in the doorway. One whiff and Taylor sitting up in her crib was all he needed to put a profile together. He quietly raced back into the bathroom and grabbed a couple of towels. "Zach?" Caleigh sleepily asked.

Zach ran back into the bedroom to Taylor standing at the crib rail crying. Getting two steps into the room, Taylor puked over the rail and then started to wail. Zach threw a towel down on the carpet over the vomit. He gently pulled Tay out of her bed and grabbed a couple diapers. Caleigh came in. "I'm taking her to our bathroom and get her changed," Zach whispered.

"I get the puke?" Caleigh whispered.

"Take a whiff," Zach whispered back. "I've got the diaper." Taylor started to convulse again with another wave of vomit coming. Zach raced her into the bathroom and got her to one of the sinks in the vanity as the second salvo came out. Caleigh came in and handed Zach a new pair of pajamas and sleepers for Taylor as Zach was cleaning her face and trying to soothe her. Caleigh was an old school mom with children that rolled around during the night. A blanket was useless. The kids each wore a footed one-piece sleeper over their pajamas to keep them warm.

Caleigh put a hand to Tay's forehead. "She's got a fever."

"Comes with the flu babe," Zach said as he put Taylor down on the rug to get her changed. Caleigh went downstairs to get some cleaning supplies.

Taylor seemed to settle a bit with having her clothes off while Zach changed her diaper. "I know sweetheart," Zach cooed. "That feels good right now. But you need to stay warm," he said, quickly getting her into her clean sleeping clothes.

Finishing up, Zach heard Caleigh closing the washing machine lid. She came into the bathroom and picked up Taylor's soiled sleepwear to add to the load she would wash later. "Now what?" Taylor was rustling in Zach's arm, softly crying and almost moaning. Caleigh looked at Zach. "From the body aches?"

Zach nodded. "That's what I'd guess." Zach looked at Caleigh. "Go back to bed. I'm going to take her downstairs and snuggle with her in the recliner so she doesn't wake up Trev. And take it from there."

Caleigh came downstairs three hours later. As she suspected, Zach was on the sofa with Taylor. The two outside portions of the three-section sofa reclined. Zach had his feet up and the back partly reclined with Taylor sleeping on his chest, her head nuzzled along Zach's neck. Lexie was sleeping on the couch next to him. Caleigh felt Taylor's forehead.

Zach propped an eye open and yawned. "Is she still so warm?"

Caleigh shook her head. "Not as bad as before. How was she?"

Zach yawned again. "I got her asleep. She woke about forty minutes later, threw up again, but not much and I had another diaper to change. After that, she conked out. What time is it?"

"Around five," Caleigh yawned, sitting down next Lexie, petting her.

"Then the fever going down is probably because I got four ounces of half apple juice half water down her a half-hour ago." Caleigh noticed the bottle next to Zach's leg.

"Is her stomach rumbling?" Caleigh asked. Zach shook his head. "Then let's wake her up, get more juice down her and give her a dose of children's liquid Advil."

While Zach got Taylor to drink the rest of juice, Caleigh put the child's temperature gauge in her ear. Caleigh looked at the reading. "She's a cool 99.9 FM," Caleigh softly smiled, referring to their favorite radio station. After Taylor finished the juice, Caleigh gave her the liquid Advil. Taylor curled up in Zach's arms and blissfully fell asleep. Caleigh went back to bed.

A couple hours later, Zach woke to Caleigh bringing Trev downstairs, half crying and half moaning like his sister earlier. "Really?" Zach whispered at Caleigh.

She nodded. "Trade you."

Zach put Taylor into Caleigh's free arm and took Trev. "Rinse and repeat," Zach said, accepting the diaper Caleigh handed him.

"Speaking of rinse," Caleigh said while yawning, "after I get Tay to bed, I've got to strip Trev's bed and then start the washer. With Tay's stuff and Trev's, plus his sheets, I've got enough for a load." Caleigh noticed the stinking, vomit dishtowel at the side of the couch and picked it up.

Zach shook his head, trying to get his son settled. "Really babe?"

"Really," Caleigh said. "All over his sheets."

A couple hours later, Zach walked into the twins' bedroom to Caleigh changing Taylor. Tay wasn't her usual smiling morning girl, but she still babbled a bit at Caleigh. Zach put Trev to bed on his clean sheets.

Caleigh pulled Taylor out of her crib and smiled at Zach rubbing his arm. "Go to bed. You've done your job."

Zach yawned and kissed Caleigh. "Thanks, I will."

Caleigh, after getting Taylor into her highchair and Lex out the door for her much needed morning dump, unplugged her cell and turned off the mute mode. "Of course mom," Caleigh smiled, looking at her text messages. "You've sent three." She hit the call button to her mother.

Rachel answered on the first ring. "You OK?"

"Good morning mom," Caleigh said, getting a bowl of rice into the microwave for Taylor while sticking in a piece of bread in the toaster. Taylor babbled at Caleigh, wanting some breakfast as Caleigh let Lexie in.

"OK, good morning," Rachel said. "What's going on?"

"We've got two kids with the flu."

"And you didn't call me?"

"Mom," Caleigh smiled. "We love having a nurse in the family. But we've got to do things on our own. Especially at two in the morning. We both studied up online what to do if this happened. We're in phase two of toddler flu. Trev is sleeping with children's Advil in him and eight ounces of half apple juice half water. Zach handled that end. I did the clean up and laundry at five this morning." Caleigh told her mother the details.

"I'm just sitting down to give Taylor," Caleigh said, pulling out the piece of toast, "part of the BRAT recommendations. Rice and toast. We'll do the bananas and applesauce later this afternoon. Zach is still sleeping."

"Sounds like you and Zach have got it all covered. What about Dave's big New Year's Eve shindig tonight?" Rachel asked.

"They're going to have to survive without us there," Caleigh said. "Honestly mom, I won't miss my headache tomorrow."

Rachel laughed. "Why your dad and I politely said no thank you."

"Shit mom," Caleigh said, giving some rice to Taylor who gobbled it up, fingering in a piece of toast Caleigh broke off. "I've got to let Beth and JJ know we don't need Jack and Henry to babysit tonight."

"Call me later with an update," Rachel said.

"You got it mom," Caleigh smiled.

Caleigh called Beth and outlined the same update. Beth had her cell on speaker. "Cal, they didn't get it from me, did they?" Jack asked.

Caleigh shook her head at Jack's unconditional love for the twins. "Jack, I doubt it. They could have got it anywhere. The bug is going around. This is not on you."

"Caleigh," Aaron said. "What's the game plan the rest of the day?"

"Aaron, right now, it's just rolling with what we're getting handed at this time. I know you like more solid planning. We're still in fluid planning mode. Just know we'd appreciate Molly hanging out with us tonight while you all are at Uncle Dave's. We could use the back-up."

"Speaking of which," Aaron said, "do you want Beth and me to let him know what is going on?"

Caleigh laughed, sticking in another bite of rice that Taylor gobbled up along with another bite of toast. "Oh hell no Aaron. He'd have half the CDC here in less than two hours."

Aaron laughed. "Call us if you or Zach need any back-up today."

"Thanks dad," Caleigh smiled. "You two, plus mom and dad are always on speed dial. But I think we've got this. I'm sure it's going to be an afternoon nap session around here for all of us trying to get the kids back on the same sleeping schedule. I'll be the first to admit I need it. Zach will be ready to rumble. Taylor is showing major signs of feeling better. Zach will take care of her while Trev and I get caught up. And I know my husband. We'll have a wonderful NYE dinner together. Just the two of us."

Beth smiled. "Not a bad thing in your world."

Caleigh smiled. "Beth, you know how much we both love Dave." Aaron, Beth and Jack smiled at each other. "That said, I think we'll both take it."

"We'll drop Molly off before we head to church at forty-thirty," Aaron said.

"Caleigh," Beth said. "Expect a conspiracy tomorrow for brunch."

Caleigh smiled. "Sorta figured that one grandma."

-00CM00-

Aaron and Beth smiled at JJ and Will as they walked together towards the backdoor of Dave's home a few hours later. They noticed the rest of the team's vehicles were already there. "Thanks for backing us," Aaron said.

"Hell Hotch, we're backing Zach and Cal," Will drawled with a wink, rubbing Aaron's shoulder.

Jack, Henry and Michael came into Dave's kitchen, carrying their overnight bags. Dave looked at the group. "The twins have the flu. Zach and Caleigh are a no show tonight," Aaron said.

"How are they and why didn't you tell me sooner?" Dave growled.

"Because," Beth replied, "like Caleigh said, you would have called in the CDC. It's the stomach flu and it's going around. They're already doing better."

"And hopefully, with them getting it at the same time, it will once and done instead of trading it back and forth," Aaron added.

"Where are the boys going to sleep?" Dave asked.

"In your study," JJ smiled.

"Hotch said you've got a big air mattress. That'll work for our boys," Will said. "We brought two sleeping bags."

"Jack can take the couch," Aaron added.

The boys said hello to everyone and the headed into the study to have their own party. Reid looked at the two parents. "I'm sure Henry and Jack are already gaming. We've got some movies downloaded on our iPad for Michael," JJ smiled at him.

Savannah looked at Beth. "I know they've got a nurse in the family, but please fill me in on the twins." Beth detailed out what Caleigh had told her. Savannah smiled. "They're doing it right."

"Time out," Emily said. "BRAT?"

"Bread, rice, applesauce and toast," Morgan said.

Emily looked at him. "Wow. Listen to you dad. I'm impressed," she smiled. Morgan flashed his grin at her with a wink.

"That works?" Tara asked.

"Along with the fifty-fifty mix of apple juice and water to get the kids rehydrated and using the liquid Advil, I couldn't recommend anything more," Savannah smiled.

"It's that easy?" Garcia asked.

JJ looked at her. "Penelope, there are all the not so wonderful things that happen before you get to phase two of the flu."

"I get that Jayje," she said. "Phase one is not fun. I'm just thinking about Zach and Caleigh doing it times two."

"Thankfully Penelope, they didn't get both kids being sick at the same time. Zach was able to take care of each of them a couple hours apart with Caleigh doing some very early morning laundry and still getting some sleep," Beth said. "Zach napped after Trev got through the worst."

"When we dropped Molly off, Taylor was acting more like herself. Trev was still in slow mode," Aaron reported with a smile. "The big thing is they want to get the kids back on the same sleeping schedule tonight while Zach and Caleigh get caught up on their sleep as well so they don't get it."

Kevin looked at Emily. "Where's Declan tonight?"

Emily shook her head. "With him and a buddy renting half of a duplex, where do you think the party is tonight?" Kevin smiled. "In a way, I'm glad. He's not driving. But I told him not to call me if the cops knock on the door about the loud party or he gets ticketed for underage drinking. He wants independence and spend some of his father's money, which he has a right to do. Fine. You accept the consequences, not me." She looked around. "I know. I'm the hard-ass mom."

Dave shook his head. "You told him exactly the right thing in my book."

"I agree," Aaron smiled.

A bit later, the boys came out of the study. JJ and Beth looked at them. "We're getting hungry," Henry said.

"Have at it boys," Dave smiled, pointing at the buffet his catering service had on the table. Jack and Henry dug in with Penelope helping Michael fill his plate. The boys sat down at Dave's kitchen counter and dove in with Beth getting them each a glass of milk.

Dave dug his cell out of his pocket and hit a button. "Dave?" Aaron asked.

Zach smiled at the caller ID. "Hi Uncle Dave." He put the call on speaker.

"Hey Zach. How are the kids?" Dave asked, doing the same as Zach with his cell.

"They're contently watching _The Lion King_ curled up with Lex and Molly. We think, hope and pray we're over the hump with this."

"You are Zach," Savannah smiled. "Just keep doing what you are. But hey you two, do bananas and applesauce tomorrow for breakfast just to be on the safe side."

"Thanks Doc," Zach smiled. "Luvs ya. And all the rest of you."

"Zach why I'm calling is the boys just dove into the food. I got the bacon-wrapped shrimp again that you liked so much last year. I can run some over to you and Caleigh."

Zach smiled. "Thank you Uncle Dave. Another reason why we love you. But while Caleigh and the kids were sleeping this afternoon, Lex and I made a run to Kroger's. They had T-Bones and large snow crab legs on sale. After we get the kids to bed, Cal and I will be eating well."

"Atta boy," Dave smiled.

"I'm coming over to your place," Derek added with his smile.

"Guess again Dee," Zach retorted. Garcia and Savannah each drilled a punch into Morgan's upper arm.

"No bottle of champagne for later?" Dave asked. The team snickered.

"Honestly Uncle Dave? I had my fill of champagne in October. For all the right reasons." The team all smiled. "But I'll pass."

"Me too Uncle Dave," Caleigh added. "Honestly, we don't want to see a ball drop tonight. We just want a quiet night."

"We get that sweetheart," Dave smiled. "Happy New Year you two." The team added their greetings.

"Happy New Year all of you," Zach and Caleigh said.

"We love you all," Zach added.

-00CM00-

A little before seven the next morning, Zach woke to hearing the twins starting to wake. He rolled onto his back. Caleigh woke up and rolled over. Zach pulled her to him. Caleigh put her head on his chest. "Happy New Year babe," Zach smiled, kissing her forehead.

Caleigh lifted up her head to look at him. "Happy New Year to you," Caleigh smiled. She snuggled back into Zach's chest as he put his arm around her.

Zach's cell phone rang. "Who the hell is that?" Zach yawned, grabbing his cell off the bedstand. He looked at the caller ID. "What the hell Minnie?" he answered.

"How's the hangover?" Andy Minton laughed. Zach put his cell on speaker.

"No hangover Minnie. We had two kids that woke up early yesterday morning with the flu." Caleigh sat up and looked at Zach. _Baby_ she mouthed, smiling. Zach smiled. "You got some news for us bro?"

"You mean eight pound four ounce Gabriel Andrew Minton who is soundly sleeping right now along with his mom," Andy said. Zach and Caleigh could immediately tell he was proudly smiling with the news.

"Congrats Andy," Zach said.

"How's Vic?" Caleigh asked.

"Still conked out after fourteen hours of labor," Andy softly said. "Hey guys. I just called to give you the news and give you some shit about Dave's party. I'm guessing you didn't go."

"No we didn't Minnie," Zach said. Caleigh pointed at the twins' bedroom as they both started babbling more. "And ours are waking up, sounding more like our children who will be demanding breakfast soon." Lex and Molly hopped up onto the bed. "Along with two dogs," Zach added.

Andy laughed. "Take care of all of them. I just wanted to let you know."

"Hey Andy," Caleigh said. "Skype session a bit later this morning after Vic and Gabe wake up."

"You got it Cal," Andy said.

"Congrats man," Zach said. "We love you."

"Back at you," Andy said. "I'm glad the kids are feeling better."

Twenty minutes later, Zach couldn't cut bananas fast enough for the kids as Caleigh fed them applesauce. Lex and Molly had crunched down their breakfast and were sprawled out, sleeping in the living room in the New Year's Day sun.

After eating their breakfast, both the kids yawned. Zach looked at Caleigh. She smiled. "We're going to get brunch attacked by our parents. Let's put them down and see if they sleep. It can't hurt."

The kids conked out in their cribs. Zach and Caleigh climbed back into their bed and did the same.

An hour later, Tom and Rachel Greystone pulled into Zach's and Caleigh's driveway. Sarah and Mike pulled up to the curb. Tom handed Sarah Beth's pan of egg bake they picked up at the Hotchner home on the way to the kids' house. Rachel pulled out hers. Mike got the garage door up, yawning, holding the box of muffins from the Stanlovsky bakery that he and Sarah had picked up.

Tom looked at his oldest son. "I know New Year's Eve is tough for you guys."

"We had a three-alarm fire dad," Mike yawned. Rachel shook her head.

Tom rubbed his shoulder, getting him into Zach and Caleigh's home. He pushed the button to shut the garage door. Tom took the box of muffins from Mike. "Get your coat off, go upstairs and curl into one of the beds. Cal and Zach won't mind."

Rachel smiled at him. "We'll get you up for breakfast."

"No arguments," Mike yawned, heading up the steps. He peeked into the twins' bedroom to see them both sleeping. Smiling, he quietly walked to the master bedroom doorway and looked in to see Zach and Caleigh sleeping together.

Tom, Rachel and Sarah took their coats off and went into the kitchen. Caleigh already had a pot of coffee waiting for them and the ovens warming. Sarah looked at Rachel. Rachel smiled. "Beth might have tipped our hand about brunch."

"You're both good Rachel," Sarah smiled, helping her put in the pans of golden morning goodness.

Lex and Molly greeted them, getting lots of loves. "But let me guess my ladies," Tom smiled. "You two need a morning dump." Lex and Molly softly barked their answer back. Tom smiled, moving to the garage to get them out the backdoor.

Zach rubbed Caleigh's back with her still snuggled up to him. "Babe, we've either got burglars or family."

Caleigh yawned. "I'm going with family." They laid together for a few more minutes. Mike started to snore in one of the beds at the other end of the second-floor suite of bedrooms.

"Definitely burglars," Zach laughed.

They got out of bed, each of them pulling on a long-sleeved t-shirt and cotton lounge pants and slipped into their slides. They went into the twins' bedroom. Trev and Tay broadly smiled at them, standing up in their cribs. "There's a happy New Year," Zach said, pulling Trev out of his crib.

"You both stink," Caleigh smiled at Taylor.

Zach looked at Trev's backside. "But no leakage mom. So maybe the diarrhea is done."

"Let's hope," Caleigh said, pulling Tay out of her crib to change her.

Rachel, Tom and Sarah smiled a few minutes later to the Hotchner family walking into the kitchen with Zach and Caleigh each holding a kid. Tay and Trev gave the three of them two minutes of loves and hugs and then demanded to be let loose with Lex and Molly.

"I think they're feeling better," Tom smiled at Zach and Caleigh.

"We'll take it Tom," Zach smiled, rubbing his shoulder. "Any news from Bub?"

Caleb had gone back to Virginia Tech to celebrate the New Year with his football teammates. "We didn't get any calls for bail money," Tom smiled. "He'll be back home tomorrow."

Aaron, Beth, Jack and Dave showed up twenty minutes later. Sarah went upstairs to wake up Mike. He came downstairs a few minutes later and smiled at Jack playing with the twins. Zach studied him. "Whattttt?" Mike asked.

Zach smiled. "I'm trying to decide when you looked worse. After Dave's last year or this morning."

"Shuddup asshole," Mike growled, reaching for a lemon poppy seed muffin. "It was a three-alarm warehouse fire."

"Everyone in the engine company OK?" Zach sincerely asked.

"Yeah, we're all fine," Mike smiled. "It was just a damn long night of hard work."

"Why you are our hero Mikey," Zach smiled, rubbing his shoulder.

While they were all sitting around the dining room table enjoying their brunch, Taylor walked up to Dave and pulled on his pants leg. Dave smiled, pulling her up into his lap. Taylor immediately reached at his plate. Dave pulled her hand back. "I don't know sweetheart," he said, looking at Rachel. Beth pulled Trevor into her lap with him doing the same.

"I think they're telling you they are sick of bland food," Rachel smiled. She looked at Caleigh and Zach. "How was the diaper this morning?"

"The usual," Caleigh said.

"Let them eat," Rachel smiled. "Just try to keep the sausage out of the bites."

Caleigh got up and grabbed bibs to put on them. Zach filled bottles with a little milk. Tay and Trev mostly babbled, joining the conversation with the rest of them while eating the offered bites of regular food. Trev reached for a bite of Aaron's blueberry muffin. "Sorry buddy," Aaron smiled. "That's crossing the line. Let's give blueberries another day," handing him his bottle of milk. Trev took a big gulp. Aaron broke off a small bite of the muffin without the fruit. Trev gobbled it up.

Rachel smiled. "That tells me everything. Their tummies are on the mend."

While they were sitting there, talking with each other, Zach and Mike splitting another half piece of egg bake, Zach's cell buzzed in his pocket. He looked at the text and smiled at Caleigh. She got up and pulled open her laptop that she had in the kitchen.

Zach looked around the table. "We've had some not great calls in the morning the past week." He looked at Jack. "You were the bad one," he smiled. He looked at his children happily smiling, still eating. "You two were the ugly." He looked at Dave. "Let's make this a true Eastwood movie title," he smiled.

Caleigh put the laptop on the table where she was sitting. Zach got up to stand behind Dave. Caleigh hit a button. "Good morning Mintons," she smiled. Andy and AJ appeared on the laptop.

Andy smiled into his laptop. "Tell Aunt Caleigh and Uncle Zach good morning AJ."

"Hi Cal and Tach," she enthusiastically said with a wave.

Dave looked at Zach. "She's nearly two Uncle Dave," Zach whispered. "Run with it." Dave smiled.

"Hi sweetheart," Caleigh smiled. "You got some news for us?"

Andy swung his laptop around to put Victoria and Gabe into the picture. "That's momma and Gabe," AJ proudly announced. A chorus of congratulations rang around the table.

"Time out," Dave said. Everyone quieted. He looked into the screen. "Just tell me you two scored the tax break for 2019."

Victoria beamed. "By one minute Uncle Dave."

"Atta boy Gabe," Dave smiled.

**XXXXX**

**A/N: Tax break. With Gabe being born before midnight, Andy and Victoria can claim him as a dependent on their income tax filing for 2019, getting a second child deduction. If he had been born a minute later, they would have to wait until they filed their 2020 taxes over a year later to get a deduction for a second child. It's a big thing with babies being born around the New Year.**

**CDC is the U.S. Center for Disease Control. They are headquartered in Atlanta.**

**Eastwood movie title. Back in the mid-60's when Clint Eastwood was trying to make a name for himself in the movie industry, he starred in a couple of what were called "Spaghetti Westerns". Western/cowboy movies filmed in Italy. One of them was **_**The Good The Bad and The Ugly**_**. Google it. When I'm bored and want to write, I'll use any plot bunny. The movie title fit into my story scenario and I ran with it.**

**Since this is a one-shot, my thanks for the favorite and following alerts as well as reviews from all of you. Again, I thank all of you for taking the time to read. It's greatly appreciated.**

**I also thank my OK Teacher for doing the proofreading while she is finishing up her holiday break. There is a Matt story getting outlined. Hopefully, I can get it to her over the King Holiday weekend. That's how we work together.**

***Knightly bow***


End file.
